Jason Graae- ‘A Graae Night For Singing’

By Alix Cohen

“Jason Graae explores his Graae-ness” is an accurate description for this utterly charming, biographical collage of wit, music and storytelling- not just patter. Graae is a patented, works-every-time-pick-me-up; vaudeville puckish and subversively sophisticated.

“As If We Never Said Goodbye” (Andrew Lloyd Webber/Don Black) gives way to “It’s a Graae Night for Singing” (Richard Rodgers/ Oscar Hammerstein/bespoke lyrics-Jason Graae.) The thespian’s silent film expressions and virtuoso timing have us at “As if…”
Who else would wear one glove just to add a lyric that rhymes with “love”? That he sings well is almost the cherry on top.

Graae had been living in New York – “I did every Jewsical there was” – sixteen years when an astrologer predicted moving, marrying, and having a family. “I threw my head back and roared.” He’s now happily wed in L.A. The couple has three dogs.

Later we hear how he met his husband, landscape designer Glenn Fretwell (business phone number shared), “of the Alabama Fretwells.” The couple perform a duet of Stephen Schwartz’s “For Good.”: Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? But/Because I knew you/Because I knew you/I have been changed for good. (Graae toured as the wizard in Wicked.) Gazes reflect not just love, but pride.

Story # 1 is about Graae’s dancer/actress mother. “I’m a self-proclaimed mama’s boy… When mom got cast as Tessie Tura
(in Gypsy-Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim), that sealed the deal”- pause- “I wanted to be a stripper…” (insert wah-wah comment by Jew’s harp.) Instead, he played a newsboy while dreaming of the featured role, Tulsa.

It’s a lovely recollection, sincerity garnished with gentle quips, supported by Gerry Sternbach’s apt vamps and tunes. A touching “You’ll Never Get Away From Me” follows, arms at the artist’s sides, no clowning. There’s a touch of Charles Chaplin here.

Story # 2 is sketches Graae’s father, Johan. We learn how he fled Europe from Copenhagen to Finland to the United States. On the ship, he met Børge Rosenbaum = Victor Borge. “My dad looked and sounded like him.” Many years later, “The Clown Prince of
Denmark” showed up to applaud Graae in Forever Plaid. When Jason told his dad, Johan cried.

Artful pauses, slapstick reactions, and subtle physical comedy are similar to that of Borge. Both artists include higher culture,
Borge on piano, Graae on oboe. Musicianship ranges from well honed to purposefully off key.

A second comparison might be made to Art Carney. Remember the excessive gestures Carney employed, for example, readying himself to hit a golf ball? Watch Graae set up his instrument and dangling score. He licks the mouthpiece, adjusts it, stretches, unkinks his neck, aligns accordioned pages, loosens his wrists…

We hear an excerpt from Georges Bizet and then Graae’s “I Love an Oboe” after George Gershwin’s “I Love a Piano:” It’s such a good win, my favorite woodwind…Give me an O-B-O-E-Oh, Oh, Oh…

“Something That I Wanted You to Know” (Gerald Sternbach/Lindy Robbins) might’ve been better sequenced near talk about marriage. Melody is beautiful, lyrics poignant: There’s never been one moment/I haven’t loved you so… Graae turns in, away from the audience he’s adroitly engaged. Every lyric is believable, every small sigh contributes.

“Ok, I don’t wanna brag, but it’s my club act. I got to be in 3 Disney movies. The third- has anyone heard of it? – was the animated musical-comedy western, Home on the Range (Alan Menken/Glenn Slater) in which both Rosanne and Judi Dench played cows.

Graae sings the amiably western theme song. He pumps arms, drops his ‘g’s, and twirls the oboe like a baton. At the piano, Sternbach launches into buoyant honky-tonk. “I know- it’s like God, he does country. What else can he do?!” the artist quips.

Tonight’s denouement is The Annoying Perky Best Friend Medley, a role in which Graae is repeatedly cast. Songs by Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin, rapidly sluice – one on the heels of the next- with precision and exhilaration. Whoosh, zip, zoom!

“Tap Your Troubles Away” (Jerry Herman), in which dance breaks are called out and punctuated “ta-dah!” while standing still and grinning, sends us all into the night uplifted.

A palpably warm relationship between Graae and the excellent Sternbach adds immeasurably.
It’s my unqualified recommendation to catch this artist wherever and whenever.
MORE solo shows, please!

Opening Photo- Maryann Lopinto

Jason Graae- A Graae Night For Singing
MD/Piano Gerry Sternbach
54 Below 254 West 54th Street
Calendar: https://54below.org/calendar/?month=March+2026